Braised Leeks With Mozzarella A Fried Egg Food

BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Clean the leeks: Cut off the ends of the leeks until you get to the shank; a little of the light green part is fine, but not too much of it. If you want, you can save the unused portion of the leeks in the freezer for making stock later. Slice through the shank of the leek lengthwise until you get to the root end-do not cut through the root just yet. Clean the leeks under cold running water, as leeks are usually dirty. Once the leeks are free of any dirt or grit, cut through the root to make two long pieces of leek. (See How to Clean Leeks for photos and more details on cleaning leeks.)
• Cook leeks and garlic in butter: Get a sauté pan large enough to hold the leeks in one layer and heat the butter in it over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and begins to foam, turn the heat down to medium and add the minced garlic and then the leeks, cut side down. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just to get them a little browned and to let the butter get into the leeks. Turn over and sprinkle with salt, then cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.
• Simmer with wine, bay leaf, sugar, thyme, salt: Turn the leeks back over so the cut side is down, sprinkle the leeks with the sugar, the thyme leaves and a touch more salt. Add the white wine with the bay leaf and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook 35-45 minutes over medium-low heat.
• Reduce braising liquid: When the leeks are tender enough so that a knife blade pierces them easily, uncover the pot and bring the braising liquid to a rolling boil. Let this reduce by half, then turn off the heat. Add the parsley, swirl it around and serve. Links: Leeks Vinaigrette here on Simply Recipes

TENDER BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Trim the darkest green part off the leeks and strip away the first two layers. Cut in half lengthways, but keep attached at the root. Wash the leeks under cold running water and set aside. Tip all the other ingredients, except the olives and parsley, into a wide shallow pan with 200ml water, some cracked pepper and a sprinkling of salt.
• Slip the leeks into the pan, cover and place over a low heat. Gently simmer for 20 mins, turning them occasionally until very tender - a knife blade should slip in easily. Leave to cool until just warm, then stir through the parsley and olives, if you like. Serve the leeks as they are with crusty bread or with roast chicken or fish.

BRAISED LEEKS WITH MOZZARELLA & A FRIED EGG RECIPE

Steps:

• 1) Trim tough green portions and root ends from leeks leaving about 5-6 inches of white and pale green portions. Discard any tough outer layers. Cut lengthwise and rinse under cold running water to remove dirt. Drain on paper towels. 2) Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook until butter is melted and starting to foam but not burn. Place leeks, cut side down, into pan. Squeeze lemon slices into pan and place slices next to leeks. Add thyme sprigs to pan. Cooke 3-4 minutes, or until leeks start to brown. Flip, season with salt, and cook an additional 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with chicken broth and wine, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Flip leeks back over and bring liquid to boiling. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until leeks are easily pierced with a paring knife. 3) Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Mix in Dijon mustard and then breadcrumbs. Place leeks in a small gratin dish, cover with shredded mozzarella and bread crumb mixture. Broil 5-6 minutes, or until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are golden brown. 4) Melt final 1-2 tablespoons butter in a large non-stick skillet (depending on size of pan), along with remaining tablespoon of oil. Crack egg on a flat surface and add to pan. Season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium low. Spoon or baste a little of the hot butter/oil onto the whites of the eggs until whites are set and opaque. 5) When leeks are done broiling, top with sunny side up egg and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve immediately!

BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, trim most of the roots off the end of the leek, leaving enough so that the leek remains attached at the bottom. Cut each leek lengthwise into halves and then cut each half into inch long pieces. Soak leeks in a large bowl of cool water to allow any dirt to settle to the bottom.
• In a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks to the skillet. Cook the leeks, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with thyme and cook one minute more.
• Add stock, reduce heat to medium low. Braise the leeks, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.